Book of Jude

Transcription

1 Book of Jude Last week I taught Jude 12, 13, 14, 15 and in part taught Jude 16. When time expired I was reviewing the Doctrine of Judgment. 2. Jude makes clear apostasy in any age will be judged. So far we have studied several examples of past errors: false doctrine of first century Gnostics, the original refusal to enter the land by the Exodus generation, the rebellion of the fallen angels who left their first estate, the error of the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah, the acts of liberal theologians who scoffed at things they did not understand, the act of Cain who murdered his brother Abel, the repeated refusal of Balaam to accept the Word of God and Enoch s promise of a future judgment of all apostates. 3. I want to review some of that learned and then begin new material on page five. First, however, I want to provide an expanded translation of Jude Expanded Translation Jude 11 Woe to these apostates! There was Cain who in a rage of jealousy slew his brother Abel; many have rushed for profit and fame as did Balaam; and many have been destroyed. Korah rebelled against Moses' authority and was destroyed. Jude 12 When these people eat with you in your fellowship meals commemorating the Lord's love, they are like dangerous reefs that can shipwreck you. They are like shameless shepherds who care only for themselves. They are like clouds blowing over the land without giving any rain. They are like trees in autumn that are doubly dead, for they bear no fruit and have been pulled up by the roots. Jude 13 They are like wild waves of the sea, churning up the foam of their shameful deeds. They are like wandering stars, doomed forever to the blackest of darkness. Jude 14 Enoch, who lived in the seventh generation after Adam, prophesied about these people. He said, "Listen! The Lord is coming with countless thousands of his holy ones Jude 15 to execute judgment on the people of the world. He will convict every person of all the ungodly things they have done and for all the insults that ungodly sinners have spoken against him." Jude 16 These people are grumblers and complainers, living only to satisfy their desires. They brag loudly about themselves, and they flatter others to get what they want. 1. Men like Balaam, Cain and Korah exist today, anti-authority types--complainers, who go about causing trouble. 2. It is interesting Pro 6:16-19 lists these types who try to sew discord among the brethren twice over as that which God hates. 1

2 3. Most of you have seen these types in one or more of the churches you have attended. These types are hypocrites and are often very destructive. 3.1 They are as Col. R.B. Thieme has taught: They are flaws or stigmas; they are destructive to others around them though they love to feast and banquet with you. They are social animals in the local church tendering and pampering themselves at the expense of others. 4. The Col. goes on to picture them as shameless, impudently trying to take over the local church. Pastor teachers are not exempt from such conduct although lay people should always keep in mind pastors are God s business; he will discipline them. 5. Jude pictures pastors as clouds without water. He pictures lay people without doctrine in emotional revolt and seduced by false doctrine as barren trees. 6. Not only does Jude describe them as being without fruit but he says they are twice dead: operationally dead and thus unable to produce divine good because they have been rooted-up and might even be suffering the ravages of the sin unto death. 7. As a practical matter the local churches in Jude s day were suffering from these apostates; not unlike many churches today. Apostates were and still are entering local churches and enjoying the social setting without getting under the authority of the pastor-teacher. 8. The apostates of Jude s day were said to be hidden reefs covered by the water of legalism, religion, pseudo love and a veneer of the truth. 9. Verse 13 describes them as billowing, surging waves pouring their apostasy out like vomit and all to their ultimate shame. They are also described as roving stars or comets which streak across the sky without any plan, flittering here and there without any seeming purpose. 10. Many of these people are nominal believers, i.e., unbelievers masquerading as Christians but known of God who has reserved a place for them in the blackness of hell. 11. The purpose of using Enoch s prophesy of a coming judgment is again to make clear the purpose of the epistle. That purpose as you might recall is to make sure all the recipients of the book understand apostasy will be judged. 12. Hopefully by listing so many examples of severe judgment, the modern day apostates are forewarned of a coming judgment. Enoch is mentioned not only in Jude but also in the book of Hebrews and one of the spurious (non-canonical) books called Enoch. Heb 11:5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. 2

3 13. Let s again see what we learned from Jude 14 and Jude tells us Enoch was a prophet who in c B.C. foretold of a coming judgment of apostates. In fact he is quoted as saying See and pay attention, the Lord Jesus will return with myriad angels and His set apart ones. 15. Clearly, Enoch refers to the Second Advent. 16. The Second Advent judgments are in view a judgment of unbelievers. In Jude 15 we are told He will perform a perfect righteous judgment upon all unbelievers. He will put to the proof test and expose all the wicked and impious ones. 17. He will reveal Jude says: the ungodly deeds which they have performed. Particularly Jude mentions a judgment for their severe and vehement speech against Him and His protocol. 18. In Jude 16 the writer seems to turn his attention to unbelievers who attend local assemblies and make every effort to be disruptive. 19. Let s not forget there will be several judgments to come. Scripture documents how God will in the future divinely judge believers, Israel, nations and unbelievers. 20. When we left last week we were reviewing what the Bible says about judgments to come: The subject of judgment is a large one in the Word of God and encompasses such judgments as the judgment of the Cross (Joh 5:24; Rom 5:9, 8:1; 2Co 5:21; Gal 3:13; Heb 9:26-28, 10:10, 14-17), the judgment on the believer in chastening (1Co 11:31-32; Heb 12:5-11), the self- judgment of the believer (1Jo 1:9; Psa 32, 51), the judgment of the believer s works at the judgment seat of Christ (Rom 14:10; 1Co 3:11-15, 4:5; 2Co 5:10). 21. With the exception of the last mentioned judgment, which has already been listed, these judgments are not related with the eschatological program of God. It is necessary to consider four judgments that have eschatological implications: the judgment on the nation Israel (Eze 20:37-38; Zec 13:8-9), the judgment of the nations (Mat 25:31-46; Isa 34:1-2; Joe 3:11-16), the judgment of fallen angels (Jude 6) and the judgment of the Great White Throne (Rev 20:11-15). 3

4 JUDGMENT OF THE CROSS Joh 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Rom 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. Rom 8:1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus... 2Co 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. Gal 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." Heb 9:26 Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. Heb 9:27 Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, Heb 9:28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. Heb 10:10 And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Heb 10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Heb 10:15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, Heb 10:16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; Heb 10:17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. JUDGMENT OF THE BELIEVER IN CHASTENING-DISCIPLINE 1Co 11:32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. Heb 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. Heb 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 4

5 Heb 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Heb 12:9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? Heb 12:10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Heb 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. SELF JUDGMENT BY THE BELIEVER Psa 32:1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Psa 32:2 Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. Psa 32:3 When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. Psa 32:4 For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah. Psa 32:5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah. Psa 32:6 For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him. Psa 32:7 Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah. Psa 32:8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. Psa 32:9 Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee. Psa 32:10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about. Psa 32:11 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart. Psa 51:1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Psa 51:2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. Psa 51:3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Psa 51:4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. Psa 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Psa 51:6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Psa 51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 5

6 Psa 51:8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Psa 51:9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Psa 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Psa 51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Psa 51:12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Psa 51:13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. Psa 51:14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. Psa 51:15 O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. Psa 51:16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. Psa 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Psa 51:18 Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem. Psa 51:19 Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar. 1Co 11:31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 1Jo 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. CHURCH AGE BELEVERS AT THE BEMA Rom 14:10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 1Co 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1Co 3:12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 1Co 3:13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 1Co 3:14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 1Co 3:15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. 1Co 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. 2Co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. 6

7 ESCHATOLOGICAL JUDGMENTS Judgment of Israel Eze 20:37 And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant: Eze 20:38 And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the LORD. Zec 13:8 And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. Zec 13:9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God. Judgment of the nations Mat 25:31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: Mat 25:32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: Mat 25:33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Mat 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: Mat 25:35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Mat 25:36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Isa 34:1 Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people: let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it. Isa 34:2 For the indignation of the LORD is upon all nations, and his fury upon all their armies: he hath utterly destroyed them, he hath delivered them to the slaughter. Joe 3:11 Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O LORD. Joe 3:12 Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. Joe 3:13 Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great. Joe 3:14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. Joe 3:15 The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. 7

8 Joe 3:16 The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel. Judgment of the fallen angels Jude 6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. 2Pe 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell (Tartaros), and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; 2Pe 2:5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; 1Pe 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 1Pe 3:19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 1Pe 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. Judgment of the unbelievers Rev 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. 22. Clearly, in the Age of the Church Jude takes special note of those sneaky unbelievers who parade themselves as believers Given the earlier description of a judgment by Christ with His innumerable angels and saints; Jude is speaking of an eschatological judgment at the Great White Throne. 23. Jude now begins a dissertation on the deeds of those who are going to be judged in the last day the Age of the Church. 24. The identification of those judged begins at verse 16 both men and women. 8

9 25. The verse begins: These ones (male and female) who are and keep on being murmurers with secret disguised expressions of discontent. In their minds nothing is being done right; complainers are they, always finding fault. They follow after their own lusts patterns, e.g., approbation lusts, materialism lusts, power lusts, control lusts, and/ or sexual lusts. 26. Think of what we see today. Even our own President at a prayer breakfast speaks of all religions as being ok. This from a man who at the same time calls himself a Christian. His remarks are designed to make all religions a path to heaven. Whatever happened to stay out of religious matters. There are not, many ways to heaven; there is only one way. I am the way and the truth and the life, no man cometh unto the Father except by me. KJV Jude 17 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; Jude 18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. Jude 19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. NIV Jude 17 But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. Jude 18 They said to you, "In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires." Jude 19 These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. 1. Let s look at a few Scriptures that describe the last days. Do not forget the last days are now. 2Ti 3:1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2Ti 3:2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 2Ti 3:3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 2Ti 3:4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God 2Ti 3:5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. 2Ti 3:6 They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weakwilled women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 2Ti 3:7 always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. 2Ti 3:8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth --men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. 2Ti 3:9 But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone. 2Ti 3:10 You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, 9

10 2Ti 3:11 persecutions, sufferings -- what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. Heb 1:1 In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, Heb 1:2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. End Lesson Taught The Westbank Bible Church does not seek donations nor do we authorize any business to solicit same on behalf of the Church. 10